


A Dimensional Disaster

by Maxis_the_Mercenary



Series: Maxis's Journals [2]
Category: Fire Emblem Heroes, Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Alternate Universe - Parent/Child Role Swap, Don't Examine This Too Closely, F/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Random Updates, Self-Insert, Tags Are Hard
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-06
Updated: 2019-11-18
Packaged: 2020-11-01 23:30:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20544872
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maxis_the_Mercenary/pseuds/Maxis_the_Mercenary
Summary: An SI but with my summoner. Takes place in Ylisse. Other relationships not listed to avoid spoilers. Tell me what to tag if you think of something I missed.





	1. PROLOGUE: AWAKENING

**Author's Note:**

> Don't question anything.

** A Dimensional Disaster – Chapter 1 **

**PROLOGUE**

**AWAKENING**

* * *

Voices filled the room. Sobbing, arguing, and shouting about bandits.

I opened my eyes. It was dark, save for a shaft of light in the roof. I pushed myself up and looked around to find that I was in the front pew of a church. Peasants were near the main door huddling close or pushing their fingers into each others' chests.

This was not my bedroom.

I rolled groggily off of my makeshift bed. Breidablik knocked against my thigh, and my cloak pooled around my body. I sighed as I sat up. After getting the holster around my waist, I stretched and groaned some more.

“You there!”

“Hrn?”

“Get over here and help us block the door!”

_THUD! _The women present let out shrieks loud enough to make me wince.

“Sure, sure,” I said lazily as another axe swing hit the door.

“Hurry, man! Our lives are at stake!”

The third swing knocked a hole in the wood, big enough to remake The Shining's most infamous scene. Instead, the bandit forced his arm through like a zombie. Instinctively, I drew Breidablik and put a tranquilizer in it. He withdrew it, shouting in pain, and replaced it with his face. I shot again as he began shouting, putting him to sleep in an instant.

“Wha— What was that?! You know magic?!”

“Sure,” I said, not exactly lying. “I'll keep you all safe. But you'll have to open the door.”

“But that's the only thing keeping us from our deaths!”

“It won't be for long, but that's what I'm for.” Another axe hit the door, making the hole larger. “Well?”

They didn't need to as the door was knocked off its hinges. I fired three more times, these ones being rubber slugs. The three who entered staggered and fell unconscious. The villagers moved away from the door in silent terror. I stepped forward coolly. Outside, there were corpses, villager and bandit alike, scattered around. Frederick was racing to kill a few stragglers.

Frederick.

“I think they've all been dealt with,” I said to the remaining villagers. I walked out and over a small footbridge to get a better look around. Everything around the market was partly burned or broken. Thankfully they weren't buildings I was familiar with.

Unfamiliar buildings.

A young woman in blue waved to me as she approached with a young man in yellow and an even younger man in a large black coat. “Were you in the church with the rest of the villagers? I thought I heard some potent magic.”

“Yes, I was, but...,” I trailed off, waiting for my brain to catch up.

“Ah, my apologies,” the woman said as she rested a hand on her chest. “My name is—”

Ignoring her, I stumbled back a bit and walked in a small circle in a stupor. “Lucina. Of Ylisse.”

“Y-yes. How did you know?”

I pointed to others one at a time. “Morgan. Owain. ...Ylisse.”

“A-are you alright? You're not injured, are you?”

“No, just mentally... I don't know... I'm going to go,” I said, drawing Breidablik.

“Go? Where to?”

“Home.” I pointed the weapon to the side and pulled the trigger, but nothing happened. I pulled again and again with identical results.

“Uh... Are you _sure_ you're alright?”

“...I don't know. ...There's supposed to be a gateway.” I woke up in that instant. “Where is it?! _Where is it?!_ _LET ME OUT!!! LET ME GO HOME!!!_” I threw Breidablik to the ground and fell to my knees. “_WHYYY?!_”

“Uh, p-please try to calm down,” Lucina said as she crouched down in front of me.

I grabbed her by the shoulders and began to shake her. “You don't get it, do you?! I'm stuck! Four years 'til Grima and then what?! Do I get to leave _then_?! And Gangrel! That asshole is just a waste of time!”

“Wh-what...,” Owain gasped out. “Grima...?! The ancient evil itself, emerging into this peaceful land in four years’ time? Surely, your words are a farce!”

“Brother, calm down, it's just a fairy tale,” Lucina insisted.

“Brother...? You're...?”

“Yes, we're siblings.”

“Then... Emmeryn is your sister!”

“You know her?”

“Yeah, but she won't know me.”

“Why n—?”

“Is this one injured, Milady?” Frederick interrupted tensely.

“No, Frederick. He's just... shaken.”

I stood up and pointed to him, knowing how best to get him. “Evil is afoot, Fred'rick! War is imminent, and Grima rises in four years!”

He visibly tensed, but not all of his words were ones that I wanted to hear. “Be that as it may, I don't believe in gypsies. Especially ones that use such unlikely prophecies to make coin.” The knight grabbed me by the shoulder tightly.

“Hold, Frederick. We can't expect everyone to be villainous.”

“And yet, we can't befriend everyone as though they can do no wrong!” After a moment, his face turned from challenging to horrified. “I—!” He dropped to one knee. “My utmost apologies, Milady! I am ready for—!”

“That's quite enough, Frederick. Do not forget that I rely on your skepticism as much as I rely on the rest of the Shepherds.”

“Milady... ...There are no words...”

Lucina turned to me. “I apologize for him, but he is much too reliable.”

“I know. I don't think I would be this in shape without him.”

“I’m afraid I don’t follow.”

“He trained me with his regimen.”

“When was this?”

“Not here. In Askr. Is now the time for a long story?”

Apparently not as we were approached by a slightly elderly villager. “Milady! I cannot thank you enough for helping us! And you! Thank you for protecting the villagers in the church! If there's anything we can do for you, anything at all, just let us now! Let us hold a feast in your honors!”

“No,” Lucina said. “I'm afraid we must be getting back to the capital. I insist we leave before any more trouble befalls your town,” she added, finalizing the conversation.

“No, no, it's not any trouble at all!”

“Sir,” I stepped in. “If I may be so kind, but my meeting this woman was fate. I had urgent news to bring to the capital, and so we must be leaving now.”

“Ah, I see... Best of luck to you all now then!”

We said our thanks and began to leave the village. Not too long later, Owain spoke up. “Visitor from the unknown, do you have the power to gaze into the future?”

“I never said _that_, but sure.”

“Whatever do you mean?”

“I studied, I guess.”

“I’m afraid that I do not grasp the meaning of your words.”

“Owain, I can tell you exactly what you're thinking right now.”

“Are you saying that you possess the fabled ability to read _minds_?!”

“I never said that. But! You're thinking! 'He'll never be able to read my mind'!”

“Whoa! Lucina, did you see that?! He was right! How did you do that?!”

I tapped my temple. “I studied.”

“Nonsense,” Frederick exclaimed. “He's just trying to trick you into gaining his trust!”

I pointed to him. “Fred'rick! Likes picking up pebbles and starting fires! Dislikes wild animals and eating said animals!”

“Wha—?!”

“Owain! Likes naming his attacks and weapons! Dislikes being treated like a kid! Lucina! Strong-willed and unshakable leader! Morgan!” I paused for a moment. “Amnesiac, yet cheerful tactician who only remembers his mother!”

Everyone was in shock at how on the nose I was. Frederick drew his sword. “How do you have such information?!”

“I studied,” I said cockily.

He thrust forward, and I sidestepped, hooking my arm around his. I moved behind him and ran my other arm in front of his neck, touching his Adam's apple with my elbow. I pushed him back and kicked his left leg out from underneath him. He would have hit the ground if I didn't have a firm grip on his wrist. “You want to protect your liege, and I want her to kill Grima. Don't you think those goals could possibly line up?”

“Milady—!”

“Stop this! Both of you!”

I gently lowered him down. “Self-defense,” I muttered.

“I admit, I never expected such a technique from a mage, Sir...”

“Maxis. I suppose I should've told you guys my name earlier, but I tend not to give away information unless it's asked for.”

“And just how did you know so much about us?! If my lieges are in danger, then you must tell me!”

“I will. It'll make for a nice campfire story.”

Frederick looked to the sky. “It _is_ getting rather late... We will camp deeper inside the forest, picking up necessary materials as we move deeper.”

“Smart plan.”

* * *

As Frederick started the fire and Morgan cooked the bear, I began. “There are some important things you need to remember as I talk. Two dimensions that I will call Earth and Zenith. I come from Earth originally, specifically the country called the United States of America, and the territory called Minnesota. Zenith has two countries named Askr and Embla. Earth does not have magic. Save all questions 'til the end. I was summoned to Zenith by the Askrans in hopes that I could end the war between them and Embla. There they call me the Great Hero, the summoner, and Maxis. I loathe being called anything but my proper name. They gave me this weapon called Breidablik in hopes that I could figure out how to use it. When I did, instead of it functioning how I suspected, it called forth a Hero to Zenith to aid us in our fight. As time went on, I summoned more and more Heroes to fight by our side. Including all four of you. You may not think it now, but to the laws of Breidablik, you four are all Heroes. I can tell your stories are only beginning. In Askr's library, many books are detail the lives and history of people, places, and events throughout time and space. Marth, Caeda, Gordin... I know all of them personally. Alm and Celica of Valm... Sigurd, Ike, Roy, and Eliwood, among others. I've shaken each of their hands. All through the power of Breidablik. But I've learned how to better wield it to make it usable for direct fighting. When I first got to Zenith, my only other use was as a tactician. But under the help of Fred'rick and other Heroes, I was able to learn how to defend myself, and eventually, even help in a real battle. I think that's all from me. I know you all have questions, so shoot.”

Owain immediately shouted, “I'm a _Hero_?! That's—!”

“No more questions from you.”

Frederick raised his hand slightly. “You say I trained you, but I remember nothing of the sort.”

“There is a theory that states that there are many different dimensions that are all vastly different or nearly identical. I must have summoned a different Fred'rick. Or when I sent you home, your memory of Zenith was wiped. Morgan, you look curious, how about you?”

“C-can you tell me about my past?”

“Not a whole lot, but there are some things. I should've mentioned this earlier as well, but this version of Ylisse isn't like the ones recorded in Askr. Except for Fred'rick, you're all out of place. Lucina and Owain, you're supposed to be cousins, not siblings. Daughter of Chrom and son of Lisa, er, Lissa, respectively. And Morgan, do you happen to know anyone named Robin?”

“...No. Is she my mother?!”

“If she was, you'd've remembered her face... No, I'm afraid your father is Validar of the Grimleal. Take off your right glove.” He held it out for me to see. “That's the mark of Grima; it means you'll be his vessel. That dream you had was a premonition of sorts, but you don't have to worry about that for roughly four years.”

“You mean...,” Morgan started.

“You mean he's going to kill us all,” Frederick interrupted.

“Relax, it won't happen for a while.”

“And what if it does?”

“I'll kill it,” I said grimly, then clapped my hands, changing my tone. “Now! How about some bear?”

“Oh! I _think_ it's ready,” Morgan said.

“Good! How about you, Mr. Wildlife,” I said to Frederick.

He took a step back. “No! N-no, thank you. I—! Am just fine, thank you.”

I chuckled. “Same ol' Fred'rick...”

“We don't have any plates or forks,” Morgan explained. “So we'll just have to pick the meat off with our hands. Sorry, guys.”

“That's alright; we didn't expect today to be so eventful,” Lucina replied.

Frederick turned pale as he watched the four of us eat.

“Mmmm, nice and juicy,” Owain said through a mouthful.

“I'm surprised at how good it tastes, even without seasoning,” Lucina noted.

“This might be the best thing I've ever tasted,” Morgan gasped.

“That's not saying much, though,” I joked.

Frederick turned away until we finished.

“I wish we had more!”

“What do you mean? We've got plenty more right here,” I said, holding up a raw leg.

“Oh! I had forgotten about those!”

I ignored Morgan as I stared at the raw meat, psyching myself up. It stared back.

“Maxis? What are you—?”

Frederick threw up as I bit into the raw leg.

“**Oh, gods!**”

I chewed it for a while before swallowing. “Hrng. Pretty good.”


	2. PROOF

** A Dimensional Disaster – Chapter 2 **

**PROOF**

* * *

As I lay there, I thought about how I got here and what I would need to do to escape.

And the fire.

"The Risen!"

"What was that, Maxis?"

"Tonight, the ground will shake, and the forest will burn! A portal will open, and the dead will come through! And another Hero! Be on your guard, even as you sleep."

"We shall," Owain exclaimed. "We shall be like the moon in the night; its gaze falling upon all the world, not letting anything escape its sight!"

Frederick said, "Yes, as what I assume Milord said, I will be awake and ready throughout the night. ...If your claims are true."

"Trust me, Fred' rick, I want to see you guys safe as well. And all we should need―" I was interrupted by the portal opening right above us. "Nevermind then!"

Chrom fell to the ground unceremoniously. The Risen behind him less so. I drew Breidablik as the prince and the dead stood up. "To arms," Lucina shouted to the others. Chrom looked back to her, then to the Risen. He parried a sword and decapitated his enemy.

"Stay together, everyone," Morgan shouted. "And don't take any risks; we don't know what they're capable of!"

"Above average strength and speed," I supplied. "They don't have the willpower to stay alive like we do, but until then, they're relentless." Proven by the fact that it took four bullets to the chest for one to finally disappear. "If that makes any sense."

"Milord! Lookout," Frederick yelled. Owain was facing a Risen, but he wasn't moving. And not in the samurai way. Frederick's lance pierced through its neck. "Are you alright?"

Owain looked at Frederick with shock on his face then bolted further into the forest. "Owain," Lucina cried out. 

Before we lost sight of him, a horse emerged from the trees and reared itself up, throwing off its armored rider. "Bowie," I murmured to myself in surprise.

My horse barreled through the Risen, knocking many of them over. He reared himself again, falling onto a Risen's head, dissipating it instantly. _Maxis! How're ya now,_ he huffed.

"Kjelle," Lucina shouted. "Where did you come from?! No, nevermind that; we're grateful to have you!"

A sword bounced off of the girl's shield. "I brought someone," she said.

"An ally?"

"Sure, let's go with that."

"Kjelle is armored," I told Morgan. "Virion, an archer."

Morgan looked to the girl but didn't see Virion. "Thanks, but I don't see him."

"Fair lady! Wait for me!"

"Oh, nevermind. Owain! Look out!" Morgan threw lightning at the Risen that was readying an axe at him.

"Wait here," I said as I dashed off towards him. I laid my hands on the boy's shoulders, taking him to a relatively safe place. "Owain! What's wrong with you?!"

"I—! I—," he stammered.

I drew his sword and put it in his hands. "We need your help to put these things back in the ground. We can only do it together."

"Ye-yes! Yes, I will help! For I am Owain Dark! Hero of—! Hey, where are you going?!"

"Back into the fray. Join us if you'd like."

"Wait!"

A Risen began a clumsy overhead swing at us. I kicked it in the side as Owain sliced its chest. It staggered a bit but remained standing. Owain moved past me and stabbed it in the heart, killing it. He breathed heavily, and I congratulated him on his victory.

I ran forward and drop-kicked one of them before it could reach Virion. We stood up together, and it pushed its lance towards my gut. I sidestepped and pulled the lance past me, staggering the Risen. I shuffled behind it, wrapped my arms around its neck, and broke it. It faded away before it hit the ground.

A ways away, Lucina, Morgan, and Kjelle were fending off a group. I sprinted forward, but before I could get to them, Bowie bowled the Risen over. He thrashed around wildly, crushing limbs, weapons, and skulls alike.

It wasn't long before the battle was done, and we all regrouped. "Is anyone injured," Lucina asked. We all answered that we only had a few small cuts at most. "Good." She looked past us to Chrom. "Oh! Excuse me, but you were the one who fell through that, er..."

"Portal," I supplied.

"Yes, thank you, Maxis. And thank you, Sir..."

He turned around, and I could see that he was wearing the 'Marth' mask. I also noticed that he had a proper sleeve over his Brand, so the costume was possibly unnecessary. Chrom was silent for a long while.

_ Say something_, I thought as I let out a quiet sigh.

"M-my name is..."

'Marth,' I mouthed to him.

"M-m-my name..." He started shaking and then fell to his knees, his hands going up to his mask.

"Are you alright," Lucina asked him. "Are you injured?"

Chrom shook his head as his sobbing became more evident.

Frederick tensed as his liege crouched down in front of the man. "What's the matter," she asked softly.

Suddenly, he sprang out at her, wrapping her in a hug and crying, "Mommy!"

Frederick hurried forward to protect his liege.

"What a momma's boy," Owain joked.

"I bet you were," I shot back.

"N-no!" Owain paused for a moment. "Hey, wait..."

"'Mommy'?"

"The Brand! I have the Brand," Chrom insisted as he rolled up his sleeve.

"That could easily be a tattoo, Milady," Frederick told her.

"Please! You have to _believe_ me!"

Lucina looked at me.

"That's not how it's supposed to go, but yeah, he's your son."

"What do you mean?"

"He's supposed to appear later as some sort of mysterious warrior and expose himself later."

Lucina looked back at her son.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry...," he kept choking out.

"H-hey... Please... I-t's okay..." Lucina reached out and put a hand on Chrom's back. "It's...not your fault."

"No..." Chrom sniffed as he stopped crying. "I'm sorry to Maxis..." He smiled at me. "I promised him I wouldn't cry. But I couldn't promise him that something wouldn't slip. Sorry."

"I... was there...?"

"In the future past? Yes. We wouldn't've made it without you."

"...I see..." I stumbled away in a stupor, millions of thoughts running through my mind.

Bowie trotted up to me. _You alright?_

"Trapped...! For the rest of my life...! What about me?!"

_ Are you not the same person_, Bowie asked genuinely.

"No! I'm the present Maxis! But the future-past Maxis is either trapped or dead! ... I'm gonna puke...!" I dashed away and leaned against a tree, emptying my stomach.

_ Must've been the meat._

"How do you know about— _HURL! Phoo! Hah... hah... _Ugh..."

"Are you alright, Maxis," Morgan asked me as he rested his hand on my shoulder.

"Yeah. More or less…"

Morgan looked back to the royal family and their retainer. "Pretty incredible that he was able to travel back in time, huh?"

"Mm. Anything can happen in these worlds I've found." I spat one final time and went back to the others. "So, are you going to be joining the Shepherds now that you've laid it all out or no?"

Chrom looked at me. "Um, well… You told me to stick to what you know, so I'm supposed to leave for…"

"Ferox."

"Yeah. I just didn't know if you wanted me admitting that or not."

"It's a bit late for secrets, I think."

Chrom nodded sheepishly.

"Would you like to camp with us for the night," His mother asked.

"C-can I?"

"Of course! You shouldn't feel the need to stay away from us." Lucina turned her focus to her armored friend. "Kjelle, why do you have that man in a headlock?"

"He won't stop flirting with me."

"Could you let him go?"

Virion gasped and fell to the ground once he was released. He quickly recovered and grabbed the woman's hand, posing like he was proposing on the spot. "My fair lady, my intentions were purely—" He was cut off by a punch to the face.


	3. FAMILY

**A Dimensional Disaster – Chapter 3**

**FAMILY**

* * *

At last, we arrived at Ylisstol. Morgan and Virion gasped at the size of it. “Quite impressive, isn't it,” Lucina spoke. “It _is_ the capital city, after all.”

_Great, who cares_, I thought to myself.

“You don't look too shocked, huh, Maxis,” Owain said.

“No, I prefer sleepier towns where everyone knows your name.”

“Really? Why’s that?”

“Don't like the noise.”

“Oh.”

_I liked the forest._

I patted Bowie's neck. _I know..._

“Presenting her majesty, Exalt Emmeryn!” At those words, the woman in question entered, and everyone bowed, excluding Lucina and Owain. And me. 

“Maxis,” Frederick whispered loudly.

“I'm _not_ bowing.”

“You _must _bow before—”

“Peace, Frederick,” the Exalt said. “He need not bow. It's important to acknowledge criticisms.”

“Can't say I have any, though. I was taught to never bow, but I'll gladly shake your hand.”

“I see.” She stepped towards us as I extended my arm. She took it with a delicate grip.

I shook her hand less elegantly. “Emmeryn, how're ya now?”

“Er, I am well, thank you. And how does the day find you?”

“Not so bad. Actually, no, but I won't go into detail. ...I'm Maxis, by the way!”

“It's very nice to meet you, Maxis. My sister tells me you are quite the man.”

“Yes, I try.”

Emmeryn turned to Morgan and Virion, beginning to talk to them. As she did, Frederick grabbed me by the arm. “What are you trying to do?!”

“I treat everyone with the exact same respect as anyone else. I would say I treat her with even more.”

“And yet you treat her with none! You're no better than any other Plegian!”

I chuckled. “You do your job too well, y'know that?”

“Frederick.” We turned our attention back to the Exalt. “Like I said before, I take no offense from someone's refusal to bow. In fact, I would prefer it if people didn't lower themselves into the dirt for my sake.”

The retainer swallowed. “...Alright...”

Lucina said sternly, “I would also like to have a word with you in private.”

“Then I, Owain Dark, shall take this divine opportunity to bring our newfound allies to our elite forces home of absolute darkness!”

“Um, thank you, Owain, but please try to keep the theatrics to a minimum.”

“Yes! I shall blanket— Hey, what?!”

“Just until they meet the others, okay?”

“Fiiine... C'mon, I'll take you to the others.”

“Owain,” a priest called out. He wrapped the prince in a bear hug. “Where've you been, man?! I swear my hair was gonna turn gray!”

Owain rolled his eyes. “Oh, as if! It was just a patrol, Brady; nothing even happened!”

“Oh yeah? Then where did these three come from,” the prince's best friend asked as he pointed to us.

“Huh? Oh right! I present to you our three newest fell comrades in arms! Their names are—”

Brady clonked him on the head. “Quiet down, dum-dum! Not only are you inside, but that girl's prob'ly asleep!”

“Sor-_ree_! Anyways, this is Virion, Morgan, and Maxis.”

Virion greeted Brady with a flourish, Morgan with cheerfulness, and I with crossed arms. “How're ya now?”

“Uh, pretty good. And yourself?”

“Not so bad.”

There was a soft _thud_ and the sound of a girl exclaiming, “You cheated!”

“Haha! No, I didn't! Ol' Teach was just goin' easy on ya!”

“Teach? Is _that _what you're calling yourself now, Vaike?”

“'Course!”

“And when was the last time you taught anything? Do you even have anything to teach?”

“Oh, shaddap, you two,” Brady told them. “You got guests t' greet!”

Cynthia stood up quickly. “Ohmigosh! I'm so sorry!” She ran towards us and tripped immediately.

I chuckled, knowing that would happen.

“You aight, Cynthia?”

“Ah, yeah, I'm fine. But, welcome to the Shepherds,” she said, throwing her arms into the air like Sharena.

“Sorry, we were busy arm wrestling,” Vaike explained as he approached. “So, who are the new guys?”

“Virion, Morgan, and Maxis,” Brady explained. “New Shepherds, meathead!”

Owain struck a pose. “Virion's fell arrows pierce even the heavens themselves! Morgan's shadow tactics are unparalleled! And Maxis fights with a demon at his side!”

_Huh. All this time around magic, and I still don't have a Stando._

“What the heck does that mean,” Cynthia asked.

“It means we're good at what we do,” I translated.

“I got that part, but you don't actually fight with a demon, right?”

_I wish..._ “No, I don't.”

“Then whaddya fight with,” Vaike asked.

I smirked. “Would you like to help me demonstrate out in the training ring?”

“Sure! Ol' Teach could always use some practice!”

“Good, good...” I pushed open the barracks door and swaggered over to the arena, everyone following behind. “Pick whatever weapon you want; I have mine.”

Vaike picked up an iron axe and swayed it back and forth. “Me too. Now y'll know why they call me 'Teach'!”

“No one calls ya dat!”

“Take your first swing when you're ready.”

Vaike immediately began an over-head swing. I stepped forward and turned my back to him, grabbing his dominant wrist. I used his momentum to bring him over me and onto his back. As he lay there, I shuffled around to push my shin against his chest, pinning him as I held onto his wrist still. His other hand flailed about uselessly until he started frantically grabbing at my pants. I took that as a sign of surrender and stood up. “Holy crap,” Vaike muttered.

“That was slow as shit.”

“How'd you know I was gonna do that?”

“How could I not?! You couldn’t’ve possibly been any slower!”

“Bah! All that slowness just means I hit harder!”

“Believe what you like.” I started for the barracks again and began to sing.

_I wanted much to go to war and went to be examined._

_ The surgeon looked me o'er and o'er; my back and chest he hammered!_

_ Said he 'You are not the man for me; your lungs are much affected._

_ And likewise, both your eyes are cocked and otherwise defected.'_

I hardly processed the young blonde girl in a cloak identical to mine, rushing through the door, strumming an acoustic guitar, and singing along with me.

_So now I'm with the invalids that cannot go and fight, sir!_

_ The doctor told me, so you know, of course, it must be right, sir!_

_While I was there, a host of chaps for reasons were exempted_.

_ Old 'pursy', he was laid aside; to pass, he had attempted!_

_ The doctor said, 'I do not like your core porosity, sir! _

_ You'll breed a famine in the camp wherever you might be, sir!'_

_So now I'm with the invalids that cannot go and fight, sir!_

_ The doctor told me, so you know, of course, it must be right, sir!_

_There came a fellow mighty tall, a knock-kneed overgrown-er._

_ The doctor said, 'I ain't got time to take and look _you _over!'_

_ Next came a little chap who was not two-foot nothing._

_ The doctor said, 'You better go and tell your mommy you're coming!'_

_So now I'm with the invalids that cannot go and fight, sir!_

_ The doctor told me, so you know, of course, it must be right, sir!_

_Some had the ticerdolerreou, some what they call brown critters._

_ And some were lank and lazy too, and some too fond of bitters!_

_ Some had cork legs and some one eye with backs deformed and crooked._

_ I'll bet you'd laugh'd till you had cried to see how cute they look-ed!_

_So now I'm with the invalids that cannot go and fight, sir!_

_ The doctor told me, so you know, of course, it must be right, sir!_

The girl lowered her guitar and jumped at me, wrapping me in a tight hug. “Dad,” she cried.

“...Dad...?”

“A whole month is too long to not see you, but I knew I would!”

“...What...? H-hold on, kid.” I pushed her away and held onto her shoulders, examining her closely. Her blonde hair was long and completely straight, all of it behind her ears, with the ends fading to pink, and her bangs were cut identically to Sharena's. Her face held childlike qualities; mischief, innocence, and curiosity, just like Sharena's and my own. Her eyes were a grayish blue like mine. Her smile resembled Sharena's until it cracked into a grin like the one I wore all the time—the I-just-remembered-something-funny grin. Her clothes were nearly identical to mine; the big white cloak with gold accents, the knee-length boots, and a Minnesota Pride shirt. “...You're...!”

“Eva,” she chirped. “Your daughter! Oh, I suppose that's a huge shock, sorry. But I just couldn't help myself! I also didn't follow the plan either, but again, I couldn't help myself.”

“Plan?”

“Yeah, er, I don't think I should tell you...”

“No, no, what plan?”

“Um, well... After the war, you and Mom and Uncle Alfonse and Auntie Anna go to Valm—Roseanne, specifically, and do some Big Boss stuff. I mean like, well, y'know, right?”

“Big Boss...? You mean I'm going to create my own Diamond Dogs?”

“Yep! I think 'cause you wanted to have a base of operations for the Shepherds 'cause Valm is gonna be _swarmed_ with people.”

“And you said 'Uncle Alfonse and Auntie Anna'?”

“Mm-hm! We went to their house a lot, and we all played there together,” Eva said wistfully. “Er, all of us, meaning Johnny, Alaina, and I.”

“Who?”

“Johnny and Alaina. Oh, uh, Johnny is my older brother, and Alaina is my cousin.”

“Two...? We had... two kids...? And... Alfonse and Anna...”

“I think I've said too much... Let's go sit down; I'll get you some water.”

“Y-yeah... Okay.” We moved inside, and she helped me sit down. I felt awkward. First, to be helped like I was an old man, but mostly because I had two kids in a world that I knew was going to become a wasteland in seemingly no time at all. Eva placed a cup of water in front of me and started rubbing my back. “I'm sorry...,” I muttered.

“What for?”

“That you had to be born just to have your life destroyed...”

Eva was silent for a moment. “My life wasn't destroyed. It was just... pushed into a different direction. ...By force.”

“Wise words... I'm sorry for the horrors you must've seen, too.”

“It wasn't that bad. There were only small groups of Risen, and they didn't appear that frequently.”

“What? That can't be right; you must've been swarmed with them all the time, right?”

“Uhh, that's not what I remember. I just remember some Risen and then wandering around Ylisse for a bit.”

“Did you hit your head or something?!”

“No. At least, that's what Brady says. I definitely _don't_ have amnesia if that's what you're wondering.”

“Hm. I suppose you don't...” I looked at her again, scanning her face what could've been beyond it. “What were we like?”

“Huh? You mean our family?”

“Mm-hm.”

“...Well... We were happy. Mostly. You and Mom were always stressed about Grima, but you still tried to smile. You took up woodcutting to feed us, so your back always hurt. But then Mom would give you a massage, and you'd cry...”

“Was I in _that much pain_?!”

“No, no! I mean—!” She sighed, then carefully inhaled and exhaled. “You hurt us. NO! No, no, no, no! No! Ah-hah, I mean... You said that we were your happiest mistake and worst gift. You loved us, but you couldn't help but feel that you robbed us of our lives before we were even born. In the end, though, you had no regrets.”

My lip quivered, and I put my face in my hands, worry worming its way into my mind, as Eva rubbed my back. When I finally calmed down, I drank the whole glass of water without pause. I sighed and said, “I miss ice...” Eva laughed, and I laughed with her. “…Eva, what else can you tell me that I need to know? Where will I find Sharena and the others?”

“Umm… I think Mom is in Ferox… Uncle Alfonse is… somewhere in Plegia, I believe? And Auntie Anna is… well, she’ll be hard to miss. In a village somewhere. One we’ll end up stopping at.

“Really? How's that? Oh, she'll be selling something, won't she?”

“Uh, something like that.”

“I see…” I looked to the guitar that she had rested against the table. “You can't get those anywhere around here, right?”

“Huh? No. We found it on our way back home from the village in the dirt. We came back, dug it up, and you did what you could to fix it. Well, you cleaned it and tuned it, which was all it needed, so I guess you returned it to a usable condition. You strummed the riff from _The Man Who Sold the World_, and I fell in love. From then on, I would pluck notes on it randomly, trying to play whatever sounded nice. Then you brought back a guitar chords book, and that's when I started truly playing. I shed my share of tears and roughed up my fingers, and you were always there with a hug and a band-aid. Then other instruments came along. A banjo, a mandolin, even your viola… For whatever reason, I could never get the hang of playing it exactly right, but Johnny… He was able to master it while I had fun with a harmonica, an accordion… We could've formed our own string band—any band we wanted, but we only had two people. Alaina started on the flute after she accidentally took it home with her, but I couldn't bring myself to tell her that it wasn't her after I heard her play. We were almost able to play Palmetto Quickstep together, but Alaina kept messing up notes. We didn't care, though… We had fun.”

I nodded, something in my heart threatening to split again. I swallowed and asked, “Where are those instruments now?”

Eva shrugged. “Dunno. We had a wagon full of them, but… I haven't seen it since.”

“Pulled by Bowie?”

“And eight others. We were like Santa's sleigh. You driving the wagon while I slept against you're arm…” Tears began to prick at her eyes, her lip quivering.

I pulled her close. “It's okay.” I kissed her temple. “We'll find 'em.”

Our tender moment was interrupted by a certain green-haired cavalryman entering with hands full of foodstuffs. “Oh, hello! Am I interrupting?”

“Kinda, yeah,” I said lightheartedly, but masking my bitterness.

“Are you a new Shepherd, too?”

“Yeah, you must’ve met Morgan and Virion then. I’m Maxis. I’d get up and shake your hand, but…,” I trailed off with a shrug.

“Ah, right,” Stahl said quietly as he moved to begin putting away his groceries. “Sorry about her; she’s a very emotional girl. Hey, wait a minute! Are you her brother?!”

“Not according to her.”

Eva sniffed loudly. “Th-this is… m-my dad. S-sorry…”

“It’s alright, Eva. Did she tell all of you about the future past?”

“She did, then remembered that she wasn’t supposed to. But we all ended up dismissing it as an overactive imagination.”

“Well, I’m afraid it’s true. Lucina’ll tell you all about it. Er, verify it. I’ll tell it.”

“Oh, okay.” He turned away and walked into something I didn’t quite see at first. When I focused my eyes on it, I found that it was a suit of armor. I scanned it upwards and saw a face that can’t quite remember, even now. “Oh! Kellam! I’m sorry; I didn’t see you there.”

“That’s okay; it happens all the time.”

I cocked my head and turned away in thought. _Have I summoned him before…? No, I would remember if I have! …Right?_

“Is something the matter,” a voice asked.

I looked in the general direction of the voice but didn’t find the source. “Uh, no, just thinking.”

“Oh, okay. If I'm needed, I'll be outside training.” Whatever the voice belonged to turned and opened the door, walking into a man and a boy dressed almost identically. “Oh! Sorry, Laurent!”

The man in the pointy hat squinted, removed his glasses, cleaned them on his robe, and put them back on. “Ah, there you are, Kellam! Think nothing of it; my glasses were due for cleaning soon, anyways.”

“But you’re _always_ cleaning your glasses,” the boy in the pointy hat said.

Stahl chuckled. “Hey, you two! Make any discoveries lately?”

“No, I’m afraid not. Deciphering my mother's notes has grown only more and more impossible as of late.”

“More writings about spirits?”

“No, my mother did not believe in spirits in even her last moments, and nor shall I.”

“Spirits,” I asked.

“Supposedly. In my mother’s last years, she raved on about… It’s hard to accurately say, but she would hear other voices besides her own in her mind. They would tell her not to trust anyone, that glasses were poisoned… The only physical human that she trusted was me. She vowed to always be able to trust me until her last breath. She died in a house fire… It’s impossible to say whether or not that the cause was herself, or an accident, but this book was the only thing to survive.” He handed me the book, and I began to flip through it. It started off with the usual madness of a genius but tapered off into writings of a schizophrenic.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” I said as I handed the book back to him.

“It’s far in the past, but I resolve to understand her ailment.” He started for the stairs, not even batting an eye at my being new.

“Are you Eva’s older brother, Johnny? I’m Ricken,” the boy from before said as he stuck out his hand to me.

I shook it and said, “No, my name’s Maxis. I’m her dad.”

Ricken’s eyebrows shot up. “Really?! So everything she said was true? But how?”

I sighed. “Maybe it’s a story that’ll have to wait until dinner.”

“Yeah, okay.” Ricken left to follow after Laurent, leaving me with my daughter.

“Hey, Maxis,” someone began. “Are you going to tell us about the future past now?”

I sat back and sighed. I hated repeating myself.

“I’ll tell it, Dad.”

* * *

I watched as Eva explained everything she knew about my life up until the apocalypse. She waved her arms wildly and stuttered through some sentences, causing confusion. She said ‘uh,' and 'y'know' a lot, skipping through some explanations by using similar everyday experiences. My smile never wavered as I listened to her endless slew of words.


	4. 4

There was a soft thud as a young man landed on the forest floor. He observed his surroundings, noting the coniferous trees, the crisp air, and the scarcely visible sun through the dense woods. Ferox. Southern Ferox probably. Hopefully. He wouldn't know until it was morning or night. Another two thuds and the clunking of armor came from behind him. He drew Breidablik and fired at the two Risen before they could stand up. Something else fell from the portal as it closed. Johnny moved towards it and looked down at the thing. It was the arm of a Risen. It had a rusted sword in its grip and a battered elbow pad. Johnny watched as hundreds of young thantophages crawled out of the wound. All of them and the arm disappeared in the usual purple smoke after a moment. He looked at where the sun had been as the world went black.


End file.
